A person of interest in a La Quinta Cove homicide was taken into custody following a pursuit that ended in Ontario, Thursday morning.
Colin Atagi, The Desert Sun

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A sign warns people against entering a La Quinta home where a man was fatally shot Sept. 13. A suspect, Stacy Rowan, died two days later from injuries suffered by a self-inflicted gunshot wound hours after the killing.(Photo: Colin Atagi/The Desert Sun)Buy Photo

The suspect in a La Quinta homicide last week died of self-inflicted gunshot injuries that were sustained after a pursuit concluded in Ontario.

Stacy Rowan died about 11:35 a.m Saturday, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The exact cause of his death remains under investigation.

He was being treated at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where paramedics brought him following the chase that took place on Interstate 10.

Typically, whenever a suspect dies before charges can be filed, a death certificate is obtained and presented during a subsequent court hearing. Prosecutors dismiss charges and ask that a case be closed, said John Hall, spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney's office.

Rowan, 56, was accused of fatally shooting his 72-year-old brother-in-law, Michael McGrath, at the suspect's home on Avenida Vallejo in the La Quinta Cove. He also was accused of shooting a woman, who survived.

Stacy Rowan, the suspect in a La Quinta Cove homicide, shot himself following a pursuit that ended in Ontario.(Photo: Courtesy Riverside County Sheriff's Department)

The deceased victim's name hasn't been released.

Neighbors helped the woman after she fled the home and investigators say Rowan drove off in a pickup about the same time. The neighbors spotted the woman running from the home after hearing screams echo through the area.

"It was like screaming I never heard before," said Jose Maciel, 70, who was among those who helped the victim.

Rowen led authorities on a chase that reached speeds of 80 mph and it ended at Archibald Avenue and Inland Empire Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol. Officers found him slumped over his steering wheel from the gunshot wound.

The neighbors said the woman told them she and her husband had gone to the home to pick up Rowan for a court appearance. Riverside County Superior Court records confirm he had a felony settlement conference Thursday related to a July 30 arrest and he'd been charged with seven counts related to possession of guns, ammunition and destructive devices.

Records showed Rowan was previously convicted Nov. 20, 1990, in Placer County on weapons-related charges, but they didn't specify if he spent time in jail or prison.

While the shooting was being investigated, a fire ignited at the home for unknown reasons. Cal Fire firefighters extinguished the fire, which delayed the homicide investigation by several hours on Thursday.